Monday, November 10, 2008

Fuck This

It is time once again to go through annual open enrollment at my place of employment. Usually the only effect this has on me is that the rates increase for me to keep the same health benefits. Meaning that every year, I enjoy my annual raise for about two months before the increase in health insurance makes it moot. But this year, there is a new option: pet insurance. One thing that hasn't changed: "The university uses the Defense of Marriage Act to identify legal spouses that are eligible for coverage". That's right, for $6.65/month, I can get health insurances for my pet rat, but I can't cover my partner. I know that isn't really shocking considering I work at a Catholic University, but give me a freaking break. My girlfriend and I have been together longer than my boss and her husband. We've also been together longer than my boss's boss and her husband. Both Catholic/Christian. Both divorced and remarried. So spare me your bullshit about the sanctity of marriage.

I'm not actually buying the pet insurance. The adoption fee for each rat was only $5, so $6.65/month seems a bit steep. A friend suggested on facebook that perhaps I could convince UST that Pfunk is my pet and I can get coverage for her that way. But then she'd have to go to a vet...

Hmmm. That is a clever, if oddly kinky, work around for insurance purposes. If she was shorter you could say she was an Oompa Loompa. That would work right in with her tendancy to break out in moralistic songs and dances when misfortune befalls others.